


The Beauty of a Secret

by xxlovesuicide61xx



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluffy, Secret Relationship, Secrets, Teacher-Student Relationship, clothes are obnoxious, fun sex, slight?sounding?kindof?notreally?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-10-19 01:02:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10628910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxlovesuicide61xx/pseuds/xxlovesuicide61xx
Summary: Secrets are meant to be kept. It's far more fun that way. Rating for future chapters.





	1. Chapter 1

Severus rose from his chair as the knock on his door echoed throughout his private chambers. The sound was unexpected albeit not entirely unwelcome. On the off chance that his assumption as to who was calling on him was wrong, Severus morphed his expression into an annoyed glare before opening the door.

“Miss Granger?” His quiet voice was like silk caressing her name, yet he knew it only served to dishearten and terrify any and all to whom it was directed. He hardened his glare and continued in the same quiet, sterile tone of voice, wondering how long it would take to get a reaction of fear or surprise from yet another student. He wouldn’t lie, it did give him a bit of a thrill inside. “What are you doing here? And at this time of night, no less.” His glare could have killed newborn babies.

“Forgive me, Professor, please. I wouldn’t have come here if it weren’t absolutely essential.” Hermione blurted out the words in a rush, looking for all the castle like she might faint of fear at any moment. Her stern professor remained silent, his arms crossed tightly in front of him, one of his dark eyebrows raised in question. When she made no further effort to speak, Severus managed to bark out her name.

“Miss Granger!” He couldn’t suppress the giddy laugh that shone through his eyes as she visibly jumped, clearly startled. “I’m waiting.” The tiny Gryffindor audibly gulped before continuing.

“It’s about the assignment due tomorrow. Sir, I —“ Abruptly, he cut her off, her excuses falling on deaf ears.

“You waited until the night before to start it?” He couldn’t resist halting what he knew was a well-rehearsed speech. “Tut, tut, Miss Granger, how unlike you.” At the first sign of his smirk emerging onto his lips, Hermione managed to find her courage.

“Please, sir. My assignment is already completed.” At her admission, his other eyebrow raised and Hermione knew in that instant she had better start to tread the rapidly growing hot water she’d found herself in. He was about to tear into her again when she hurried and managed to be the one to cut him off, this time. “Well, mostly. At least, I thought it was. I wouldn’t be here if it was finished, obviously. I’d wait until tomorrow, but I —“

“Granger!” Another bark, another jump. “You’re rambling. Get to the point quickly or so help me Gryffindor’s hourglass won’t see another ruby until your children are graduating.” Hermione paled, but managed to stop shaking, knowing fully that he would follow through with his threats.

“Perhaps we could talk inside, sir?” He looked completely incredulous, shocked at her gall. Very few of his students would have dared to ask such a question, and an even further few of those students were Gryffindors. Hermione hurried to clarify, the stunned look on such an austere face quickly throwing her into terrified submission. She dropped her head down, her eyes suddenly finding his shoes rather fascinating. She was quick and quiet in her final explanation. “The dungeons are cold, sir, and you look like you could stand to sit down.”

The Potions Master didn’t reply, only staring at her for a few moments before stepping back with a small gesture of his hand to lead her in.

Seeing his feet take a few steps back, she saw his blank expression as he motioned her in. When she passed by him as she crossed the threshold into his chambers, Hermione couldn’t help the small smile that graced her lips, and the light brush of his hand against hers was more than enough to relax her after their little show. It had long since become their way of saying hello, as well as a chance for them to continue their private reassurances that they could act normally around each other. It was, after all, a rather difficult task to treat someone as a child after you’ve had your cock buried inside of her. Multiple times. In multiples areas. Severus smirked again as the door clicked shut behind him.

They both knew that no one was around, that no one would even pass by, so remote within the depths of the castle were Severus’ private chambers. Yet neither could ever manage to resist the little game they played whenever she came down to see him before curfew. After curfew it was sneaking and skulking in shadows, but before ten o’clock, they didn’t see an issue with just using the front door. It’s not as if anyone else would think that something unsavory was going on. It was an unbelievable fact, and even if someone did see something they really shouldn’t, the students and staff were all human. Humans tended to see what they wanted to see, and ignore and replace that which didn’t make logical sense until it did. They say that no one can keep a secret in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and over the years it had been proven true time and again. The very moment the word ‘secret’ was uttered anywhere in the castle, the entire school would know by breakfast the next morning. Being much more than aware of this fact, the couple should be downright terrified that their relationship would be known to the entire school. Yet, somehow, they weren’t. The beauty of a secret is that it’s supposed to be kept. And somehow, the fates had managed to see the beauty of theirs, and they had yet to even be suspected of so much as a too-long lingering glare.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited while watching House, so I blame all mistakes on Hugh Laurie being awesome.

Severus hadn’t anticipated Hermione coming to him on this particular night. That didn’t mean, however, that he didn’t have a plan full of noble intentions rapidly developed in the time between her knock on the door and him answering it. Completely innocent, wonderfully noble and gentlemanly intentions.

Yet the second the door clicked shut behind them, all of his plans flew out of his nonexistent windows, and he knew in a heartbeat that he was a goner.

She had made her way fully into the room, one of her hands gently caressing the pliant, still warm leather of the chair he recently vacated. She had this sweet, demure, non-threatening look on her face, her eyes molten chocolate in the candlelight, her body a silhouette on fire in front of the hearth. It were quiet moments like these that sent him reeling like a train.

“Hi, Sev.” Her soft whisper is what ultimately set him off. It wasn’t her striking beauty, her sultry eyes, or even the sexual implications of her small hand still stroking the leather. It was her bright, gentle voice. Her tone was so casual with him, so trusting, so full of love. Her love for him. And it was that sound he could never resist.

He pounced, before he could reply to her greeting, before she could give a sudden shriek of surprise, before either could even blink. He had her pressed against the back of his chair, one hand teasing the back of her neck and delving into her crazy curls, the other on her hip, already sliding under her shirt to get to bare skin. Her lips were sweet against his, immediately falling into the dance they now knew so well, her surprise dissipating in seconds. Her own hands were sliding through his hair and scratching along his scalp, something he knew she always enjoyed doing, as well as something that he always enjoyed her doing to him, irregardless of the level of their naked physical affections.

The back of his chair came to rest just beneath her shoulder blades, the high-back providing the perfect height for enfolding her in his arms, pressing his body closer to hers, and sliding his tongue to meet hers, all without worry or fear of stumbling, falling, or collapsing weak-kneed.

He would be lying if he said he hadn’t missed this. He missed her— her lips, her tongue, her skin, her scent— every second of every minute of every day for the last two weeks. Typically, they never went this long without seeing one another privately in some aspect, whether she helped him grade first year papers in his office or she was on her knees in his shower sucking him off. Truly, either was fine with him. It was just that he hadn’t seen her alone in so. Damn. Long.

His lips moved away from her mouth, preferring to bite at her neck, leaving her mouth free to release the smallest and shyest of gasps and moans that set them both off like rockets. He wanted to mark her, oh how desperately he wanted to show the world that she was his, but fate was against him this night.

He had done it before, and she had loved it just as much as, if not more than, he did. Both the process and the aftermath. She had a strong and unexpected, although very appreciated, kink for both biting and being bitten. It had been a long weekend— something rarely seen in Hogwarts— and they had taken full advantage of it. The moment his final class had ended she was in his arms, on his bed, and in his mouth. Teeth clamped tight around her neck, he had sucked and bit to their hearts’ content, leaving a mark so dark against her fair flesh that they both had to cast concealment charms on it come Monday morning.

For now, her gave her what pleasure he could, sucking on her collar bone and nibbling on the spot on the tip of her shoulder that never failed to make her shiver.

He moved his hand to meet the other, caressing the skin of her back, and slid them both up along the smooth skin, removing her shirt. It caught on her hair, getting her head stuck and trapping her arms. He smiled and couldn’t help but laugh. Her arms pathetically flopped and she made a disgruntled whine.

“I’m glad you find this so amusing.” Her voice was muffled, but no less adorable. She was clearly frustrated.

“Yes, I find this amusing.” His voice was slightly higher than usual, a bit breathless. He leaned forward, wrapping one arm around her waist and another under her knees. She shrieked as he lifted her, her arms trying to find a way to hold on to him, legs swinging in the air.

“Stop your flailing,” he laughed. “You know that I would never let you fall.” He kissed her where he assumed her lips would be through the material of her shirt. He could feel her pout around the fabric. “Tuck your legs back, before you knock something over.”

Hermione moved her legs back, feeling the side of her foot brush against his own legs. She endeavored greatly to not accidentally kick him somewhere important. Her arms were still stuck above her head, but she had slumped her body down into him, letting him take her weight as she knew he could. She could make out some vague shapes through her shirt from the faint light of the room, and assumed that he was carrying her into his bedroom. Hopefully he was.

Suddenly his arms vanished from around her, and she let out a gasp before bouncing off his bed and falling back on his thick blanket. She heard Severus laughing again, this time back in his normal pitch of voice. The bed dipped and she felt his arms once again around her, pulling her back into an upright position.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” His hands moved to brush over her shoulder blades, grasping the shirt and pulling in short bursts, inching it over her head, finally freeing her now tangled mess of curls. Releasing her arms, Severus threw her shirt over his shoulder, uncaring of where it landed. Turning back, he let out the biggest laugh he’d had in nearly a month. It felt wonderful.

Hermione was sat on his bed, legs splayed sideways, arms crossed under her breasts, mouth pouting, and her hair sticking up in every direction possible.

He struggled to hold himself up, his ribs starting to hurt from the depth of his laugh. Hermione grabbed a pillow and started smacking him.

“Stop laughing! This isn’t funny.” He grabbed the pillow and pulled her to him, knowing she wouldn’t let go of her only weapon so soon, and pecked her on the lips, a smile on his face.

“Calm down, darling. It’s just a little static.” He kissed her again, slightly longer this time. Her pout was still present. “If it matters to you that much, I’ll let you rub a balloon over my head and watch what happens.” 

The frustrated pout remained. He’d really thought that would get a laugh out of her. “What is it sweetheart?”

She grabbed the pillow back and snuggled down into it, her eyes no longer meeting his, her pout talking into his pillow.

“I killed the mood.” He was glad she wasn’t looking at him. That way she couldn’t see his smile. She was adorable. And she was all his.

Shifting closer, he ripped the pillow away from her and pulled her into his arms.

“You haven’t killed the mood, silly girl.” He kissed the top of her head, his hands sweeping along her arms.

“Yes I have, Sev. What’s sexy about a clumsy witch?” She looked up at him, apparently expecting an answer to her rhetorical question.

“Everything is sexy about my clumsy witch.”

He clearly emphasized his possession over her. Severus kissed her hard, pulling her into his lap and squeezing her as close to him as he could get her. He pulled back with a bite to her lower lip. Her eyes were half open and slightly glazed over, making her look drugged. A rather consistent product of his kisses. It was always a good sign.

“Besides.” He moved his hands to brush down her hair, running a thumb over her lower lip. Her mouth opened to bite the tip of his thumb. His breath hitched.

“I’ve found that you’re rather good at getting the mood back.”

Hermione smiled. It was going to be a fun night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I had intended on this story being all hot and sexy and it somehow ended up like this. Not so hot, a little sexy, but mostly kinda normal. Hopefully the reality doesn't take away the fun of reading. Enjoy! :D

Hermione awoke to a dark room, feeling warm and pleasantly satisfied. The weight of Severus’s arm around her was comforting and she couldn’t help but snuggle deeper into him. She breathed in, enjoying the familiar scent of his skin, and placed a gentle kiss along the side of his ribs.

He shifted slightly, evidently awake, and she looked up to see his eyes gleaming in the low light. The muscles in his arm flexed and Hermione found herself being pulled on top of him. Shifting her legs for the sake of them both, she straddled his lap and placed her hands on his chest, his arms wrapping around her waist to keep her balanced. The blanket had fallen down and she felt chilled despite the warmth of his skin beneath her. His thumb was stroking the low of her back and she knew that he wanted another go.

Despite their rocky start, the night before had been fantastic. Emotions seemed to be on high alert, their bodies' sensitivity to touch even higher. Every kiss, every bite, every stroke of flesh on flesh felt somehow stronger. Better. For how much they honestly hated having not truly seen each other in weeks, it almost seemed worth it for how they had reacted to each other's touch.

Severus tightened his grip and leaned up to kiss her. He stopped rather abruptly as glowing digital numbers appeared to block his path. It was already gone three in the morning. He fell back to his pillow, a petulant pout on his lips. Hermione almost laughed, vanishing the time.

“You know that I should go.” Her voice contradicted her words, revealing just how badly neither of them wanted her to leave.

“Stay.” His reply was a soft growl in the dark.

“Sev, I’m usually gone by now.” She rubbed her hands along his chest in an attempt to soothe him. If she enjoyed the feel of his smooth skin in the process, all the better for her.

“Stay.” If there was a way for a person to both command and plea, he had found the way to do it. His eyes were shut and his hands were sliding along the length of her spine, knowing that he was giving her the pleasantly uncomfortable shivers she so adored.

“We both have classes in the morning.” She endeavored to appeal to his logical side. Judging by the fact that she was not yet dressed and out of his rooms, she assumed that it wasn’t working.

His eyes flashed open, his hands high on her back, his voice a possessive finality.  
“Stay.”

His arms pulled her body flush to his, tightening their grip and pulling his legs up to keep her sufficiently trapped. Hermione scarcely had time to laugh at his childish insistence before it was turned into a moan, his lips latching onto the side of her neck.

Her head dropped to the side as her mind clouded over. Yes, staying was good. Staying meant this. His hands loosened enough to ghost against her sides, moving to tease along her breasts and hips. Hermione managed to gather her wits back about her while his mouth moved to her own. She spoke, denying him his kiss.

“Sev, if I’m not back in my dorm soon then we risk blowing our secret.” His glare seemed harsh, but his hands continued to move along her body.

"My darling." He turned his head, sneaking a kiss against her arm, his glare never faltering. "Might I remind that brilliant brain of yours that the beauty of a secret is exactly that-- it is a secret." He punctuated the last four words clearly and distinctly, not in a patronizing way, more as a way to insure that she understood his meaning. He continued on.

"We don't have to tell anyone anything if we don't fucking want to." His hands met at the base of her neck and he scratched his blunt nails down her back in a way that they both loved. "If suspicions arise, let them think what they want. Their first thought may be that you were out in the library all night rather than getting your brains shagged out by the bat of the dungeons. Besides." His hands moved around her neck, sliding up to move the hair out of her face and cradle her head. "I don't care if they think that you're having some sort of sordid affair. You're with me, and that's all that matters.

He pulled her lips down to his, taking away her ability to answer. Her mouth opened willingly, encouraging his tongue to slide in and make her body melt into his. Merlin, he was a good kisser. And he knew it. His long fingers were doing delicious things to her neck and she couldn’t resist grinding down onto his rapidly growing erection. He groaned into her mouth, thrusting up against her wet heat. Her back arched, pressing their hips hard together, ripping her lips away from his own. His cock twitched at the sound of her moan. He knew he could get her to stay.

Point for him.

Hermione rose up on her knees, reaching beneath her to grab his cock in her hand. He groaned at the feel of her soft skin wrapped around him, eyes rolling back into his head when she started to rub his head along her slit.

Oh, this was more than worth the risk of getting found out.

“Tease.” The word was barely a breath from his lips. He adored seeing her like this. Passionate. Focused. Wanton. Completely his.

She licked her lips, making them shine and making him jealous that he couldn’t reach to kiss them.

“Do you want me to stop?” He could hear the jest in her voice and felt no fear. She’d never deny him.

She brought the head of his cock up to her clit, straining to see through the dim light. She aligned his slit with her clit and pressed towards him. The moan that followed was sure to bring on the birth of an angel. His hands rocketed to her hips, fingertips diving in, bruising, and brought her as close to cock as he could. Her clit was nothing more than a whisper of penetration against his slit, but it was enough to drive him crazy.

“Please.” Despite how hard his hands were, his words were incredibly soft. It was a strange occurrence with a man like him. True, there were moments when he was fast and rough through to his core and there were moments when they were soft and slow. And yet here he was in all of his contradictive glory, and she loved when he got like this. Needy. Begging. Vulnerable. Completely hers.

She tightened her grip around him, pushing his cock roughly against her clit once more before moving him to rest just below her core. She held herself suspended above him, not yet touching, merely enjoying the heat that passed through their skin. Both bodies were still, his fingertips still a bruise on her hips, her hand still a vice around his cock. There was silence but for their panted breathing. Severus felt her drip down onto his head and couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Hermione.”

She sank down onto him, their sighs combining into a symphony of sex. He held her pressed onto him. She didn’t dare move. They felt too perfect.

She squeezed her inner muscles, something that she knew he enjoyed. His arms circled to meet at the small of her back. His thumbs brushed against the small spot of skin just above the cleft of her ass, the spot that he knew made her shudder, conveniently also making her muscles clench down on him just that much tighter.

Her hands slid along his chest, loving the feeling of his ribs against her fingertips. She started to rock back and forth, gently moving just enough to provide a modicum of stimulation. His eyes dropped shut. He wanted to watch her move on top of him. Desperately. But she knew just how to turn on his euphoria and leave it hovering on the edge of purest nirvana. She just felt too good. He didn’t know how the tables had turned on him, changing his plan of seductive persuasion into him being on the receiving end of an amorous young goddess. He wasn't going to complain.

"Sev."

His eyes opened, clear amazement shining through at her beauty. She stopped moving, reaching behind her to grab his hands in her own. She brought them around to the front of their bodies, pressing his hands onto her breasts. She needed his hands where she could see them.

Despite his serotonin addled mind, he caught onto her surprisingly quickly. His hands moved of their own accord, allowing her hands to return to his own chest, occasionally slowing to tease his nipples.

Severus began moving in little thrusts up into her. He wasn't impatient, merely inquisitive. His fingers clamped down onto her nipples, sparking a cry of pain from her lips. Her hands moved down to his hips, leaning her body slightly forward, allowing his hands to take some of the weight through her chest. Hermione moved her body in time with his short, shallow thrusts.

She had never been especially good at this particular position, but she always tried for his sake. In her own fantasies, she found it extremely arousing, but putting it into practice wasn't as easy as it looked. She knew that this was one of his preferred positions, mostly because he was able to watch her. He enjoyed watching her. Read. Shower. Masturbate. Even brewing in class. She knew that he enjoyed just observing her.

However, she still felt bad about the whole situation. He always ended up having to do most of the work, even though she was on top and it was technically her job. All he should have to do is sit back and relax. She managed well enough if he was on the couch or in his office chair, but there was something about being on a bed that just seemed to force her into ineptitude. She knew in her heart and her mind that he truly wasn't opposed to doing the work. He wanted her in the position, so it seemed only right that he earn it. He'd told her as much before. It didn't keep her from feeling inadequate, though.

Hermione tightened her grip on his hips, knowing she'd leave a few bruises but that it wouldn't be anything that he couldn't handle. She tried lifting herself up higher, tried moving her body a little faster. Her hips felt awkward straddled over his, and she felt strangely self conscious of her thighs. She didn't understand how her mind could adore this position and her body could be so against it.

Severus slowly came back to his senses, realizing what Hermione was trying to do. As wonderful as everything she was doing to him felt, this was the part where he came in. Not literally. He was already in. And he technically hadn't come yet. He shook his head, dislodging the pile of confused thoughts clinging to his brain.

Pushing her back up, he moved his hands to wrap around her hips, forcing her hands to move away from his in the process. She leaned forward, bracing her hands on the bed on the outside of his shoulders, keeping her body hovering over him. Planting his feet flat atop the bed, his legs spread slightly wider, he started a slow piston into her tight, wet heat. His hips twitched to the left, hitting a spot inside of her that made her moan. He adored that sound. He shifted the lower half of his body to accommodate her, someone managing to keep from bucking her off in the process. Looking up at her, he noticed the look on her face and a guilty smile crossed his face.

"What?" His voice had switched from its deep sexiness to the slightly lighter sound it took on when they were particularly playful.

Hermione dropped down to kiss him on the tip of his long nose, smiling at him before she answered.

"While the sex has always been wonderful, we've never been particularly great with the finesse, have we?" She laughed at the faint blush that flooded his face. "That's not a bad thing." She brushed her lips softly against his, not quite a kiss, more of a reassurance. She shook her head when she pulled back and straightened up, his cock still buried deeply inside her.

"Shut up, you ridiculous know-it-all."

Before she could scoff at the name, he rolled them over, landing right on the edge of the bed, his hands hardly able to find purchase. Grabbing onto the mattress proper and praying that they wouldn't fall out of the bed, he started thrusting into Hermione as deeply as he could go, turning her laughter into moans of pleasure.

Severus watched the emotions change on her face, amazed that they could be so childish with one another and yet completely sexually enamored. He always thought that the two had to be separate from each other, either one hundred percent cute and innocent or one hundred percent kinky and sexy. But Hermione never made him fall into a singular category. She just let him be him. And he loved her for it.

Her hands had come to settle on his shoulder blades. He knew she enjoyed the feeling of his back. She enjoyed the feeling of most of him, actually.

Her nails dug into him and he snapped back into focus, again. Only she could simultaneously focus his mind and derail his thoughts and still have them all be about her.

Severus picked up the pace, moving his hips faster down into hers, his cock weeping at the feel of her tightly sheathed around him. Her could feel her muscles twitching around him and see the sweat gathering between her breasts. He lent drown, drawing his tongue through the salty flavor and gliding up to her neck. He bit down, reveling in her voice as it cried out.

"Severus." His name was a breath against his ear. "Please. I'm close."

He bit down again, loving that she followed her words with a nip to his neck. She knew him well.

He planted his mouth on hers, tongues immediately out and fighting against each other. He moved his hands under her arms and grabbed at her shoulders, pulling her down onto him with each upward thrust. He dropped his body onto hers, knowing that she could take the weight, and diverted all muscle control to his lips, hips, and tongue.

His hips moved faster, his cock gliding into her with the least amount of friction possible, somehow managing to stay inside of her despite her muscles trying to clench him out. She was soaked, and he was certain that he was even adding into the saturation that was their bodies.

Hermione's hips clenched tightly against his, her legs clamping him down, her feet pressed into his ass, stopping him dead in his tracks. He swallowed down her cries and let her muscle's contractions wash over him. She felt perfect.

She sucked his tongue into her mouth and bit down, giving him the final push he needed over the edge. His cock pulsed inside of her, releasing everything it had and then some. Mouths ripped apart, both panting, he rolled over to keep himself on the bed, trying to pull her with him to safety. His cock slipped out of her, and he couldn't help but smile at the liquidy mess they made together.

Severus looked back up at Hermione and was shocked at her expression. History having taught him to expect to see something between a blushing yet satisfied innocent and a sated sex-crazed minx, he found neither. Instead, she was looking at him with manic eyes and a smile that didn't quite bode well.

"What?"

She just continued to stare at him.

"What?" He was more insistent.

"You're an evil man, do you know that?" She started laughing.

"Hey, you're the one that started it." She scooched over to him, placing her head on his shoulder, her head craned up to see him, and looked at him dramatically.

"You, sir, are the one that actually started it. I was merely taking it up a notch." His hands flew to her sides and started tickling her. She squealed and tucked in on herself, trying to keep him away from as much skin as possible.

"What," he laughed. "Are my notches not high enough for you?" He stood up on his knees, trying to shield his currently over sensitive cock from her flailing knees. "Are they?" She kept laughing, he joining her, the highs and lows of their pitches combining into a song of pure adoration.

"Sev." She had reached the point in her laughing where her lungs switched off and her diaphragm simply refused to keep moving. "Sev, I give."

Her mouth a ridiculous smile, she could barely gasp out the words.

"Tell me my notches are high enough, and I'll stop." His fingertips still flying over her body, he knew that he was being ridiculous, but could tell that she was enjoying the absurdity as much as he was.

"They're high enough." Tears started streaming down the sides of her face, her breath coming back to her in deep gasps. "Your notches are high enough."

"Tell me I have the most finesse of any man on this earth." He moved his hands from her hardly exposed ribs and onto the backs and sides of her knees. "Tell me that my sexual prowess is incomparable."

He smirked, knowing full well that there were better lovers out there, but he liked hearing that he was the perfect one for her.

"No one could ever come close to you, you sexy beast." She laid the sarcasm on thickly through her laughter, and he let out his own bark at her choice of answer.

Final question in mind, his hands stopped mid-tickle.

"Tell me you love me."

She looked up at him, sides heaving, facial muscles sore, a smile beaming out of her eyes. He didn't need words to give him his answer.

"I love you."

Her body relaxed open at the same time as he dropped back down onto her, pressing a kiss onto her lips.

"Good." Severus wrapped his arms and legs around her, successfully trapping her onto the bed.

Hermione's hands were able to reach just to the tips of his shoulders, and she took great advantage of her captivity, playing with his soft hair. Part of her hoped that it would help to sway him to her side of things. It usually worked. Sometimes. Either way, she wasn't going to miss a perfect chance to feel his hair run through her fingers.

"Sev, we're back at the original issue." He quirked up an eyebrow, clearly playing the innocent card. "I really do need to leave." He pouted, looking again the petulant child. She watched him for a moment before his eyes lit up again. He dropped his lips onto her neck and started pressing kisses all along her skin.

She managed to free her hands and grabbed at his shoulders, trying to push him back.

"No you don't, not again. It has to be near four. I need to get back." He placed a final nibble onto her skin and let her push him back, his pout back in place.

"You know, we really do need to speak to Albus about moving you into my rooms." His voice was a deadpan, but his eyes spoke otherwise. He climbed off of her, pulling her up with him and wrapping an arm around him, her body pulled into his side. She lent her head against his shoulder. Contemplative, they both wished that his words could be true. And yet, they didn't. If they were, then their secret would be blown.

And where was the fun in that.

Hermione looked at the man that she loved with all her heart and snuggled into him. She did hate to leave him each night. She kissed his shoulder, got up, and headed to look for her clothes. The hunt for them always seemed so much more enjoyable than simply summoning them. She got to relive the moment that each piece of clothing got removed. She saw her shirt laying on the floor and started to laugh at the embarrassing beginning their night had had.

Severus came up behind her, still naked, and saw where her eyes were pointed. He laughed, wrapping his arms around her, and kissed her temple.

"I promise, love. Last night's debacle will stay our little secret." She turned in his arms, wrapped her arms around his waist, and hugged with all her might. Severus squeezed back, not wanting to completely crush her, but with enough force that she clearly received the message. He loved this woman, so incredibly much.

He loved that they could just be whoever they were with one another. No spying, no trying to sound smart, no trying to be intimidating, no need to be perfect. The secret of their relationship was a beautiful thing. They didn't have to tell anyone anything if they didn't want to. All they had to do was love each other.

And that would never be a problem.


End file.
